How to Be a Jew: Ethical Teachings of Judaism can be described as a Jewish self-help manual. The authors offer translations of significant passages from the most important works of Jewish ethical literature. They clearly show modern readers that while these writings might be old, they are not obsolete, and while the conditions of human life have changed over the centuries, the human condition itself is essentially unchanged. By introducing readers to the major works of Jewish ethical literature, the authors illustrate that this Jewish genre offers 'a road map for the individual committed to the creation of the supreme art-form - one's own life.' Chapters include 'How to Believe in God,' 'How to Deal with the Ego,' 'How to Die,' 'How to Behave Sexually,' and 'How to Parent.' Rabbis Byron Sherwin and Seymour Cohen, both highly regarded scholars, have brought together their expertise and passion for their subject. To the reader who cannot study these texts in their original languages, they offer access to the treasure trove of Jewish ethical literature, choosing important passages from such classics as the Kuzari by Judah Ha-Levi, the Zohar, The Path of the Upright by Moshe Hayyim Luzzatto, Duties of the Heart by Bahya ibn Pakudah, and Nachmanides' Commentary on the Torah. Accompanying their selections are in-depth essays that review the ways that Jewish ethical literature has treated these universal subjects. As the authors explain, Jewish ethical literature deals with the most intimate problems of human experience. This literature was written 'not to inform but to transform' the reader. How to Be a Jew: Ethical Teachings of Judaism is, itself, just such a book.
